2021 Draft Guide
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FIRST STAR SCOUTING 2021 NHL DRAFT GUIDE Table of Contents Player Rankings . 3 - 55 1 - 15. .3 -. .17 16 - 63 . 18 . .- 41 64 - 127 . 42. - 49 Honorable Mentions / Final Cuts . 50. - 53 Team Outlooks . 54 - 61 Mock Draft. .62 . .- 63 2021 NHL Draft Guide 2 www.firststarscouting.com DRAFT RANKINGS 1-127 01 Owen Power Position Team League HT WT Hand D University of Michigan NCAA 6’6” 214 L CSS Ranking: #1 (NA) Tier: Elite Year Team (League) GP G A P PM 2018-19 Chicago Steel (USHL) 58 11 14 25 10 2019-20 Chicago Steel (USHL) 45 12 28 40 18 2020-21 University of Michigan (NCAA) 26 3 13 16 6 Skating: B Puck Skills: B Physicality: A Hockey Sense: B+ Shot Grade: B Passing Ability: B+ A towering 6’6” two-way blue liner with the athleticism and skill of small puck mover, Power has set himself apart from the pack in a wide open draft year with an impressive freshman season for the Michigan Wolverines . Power has a trophy case that is only growing by the year, as he was named 2020’s USHL Defenseman of the Year when he led all USHL defensemen in scoring for the Chicago Steel and in 2021 was named to the NCAA’s All-Rookie Team as well as being named a Second Team All-Star, all of which displays the pedigree and resume he has built throughout his junior and college career . The attribute that sets Power apart in this class is his identity as a complete multi-tool defenseman with plenty of room to grow to reach his potential ceiling . Power has the frame of a stereotypical physical defenseman, but thinks the game from an offensive frame of mind as he’s consistently looking to transition pucks through the neutral zone with great mobility for a player his size and deft puck skills . In the offensive zone, Power is consistently looking for opportunities to join the attack and create offense, while more often than not displaying smarts that prevent ill-advised pinches and turnovers . Power could stand to get more aggressive and consistent in his defending, but has all the makings of a complete two-way defenseman . NHL Comparable: Seth Jones 2021 NHL Draft Guide 3 www.firststarscouting.com FIRST STAR SCOUTING 2021 NHL DRAFT GUIDE 02 Luke Hughes Position Team League HT WT Hand D USNTDP U-18 USDP 6’2” 176 L CSS Ranking: #4 (NA) Tier: Elite/High-End Year Team (League) GP G A P PM 2018-19 Little Caesars 15U AAA (15U-AAA) 71 22 61 83 24 2019-20 USNTDP U-17 (USDP) 48 7 21 28 38 2020-21 USNTDP U-18 (USDP) 38 6 28 34 14 Skating: A Puck Skills: B Physicality: B- Hockey Sense: B Shot Grade: C+ Passing Ability: B+ An elite puck-moving defenseman with arguably the best skating mechanics in the draft, Hughes displays incredible upside with his raw tools and is one of the youngest players available in the 2021 Draft . The youngest brother of Jack and Quinn, Luke is the third Hughes brother to come through the draft since 2018 and will follow his oldest brothers footsteps by headed to the University of Michigan this upcoming fall . A critical part of this year’s U S. National U18 Team, Hughes paced the team’s defense scoring in scoring with 34 points in 38 games, displaying a blossoming offensive touch to go with his elite transition game . What makes Luke Hughes special is his raw ability as a skater and transporter of the puck . Though Luke is not as dynamically skilled as his older brothers, he shares the patented Hughes trait of fantastic skating posture and mechanics . Luke is as smooth a skater as you’ll ever see, able to make quick turns and pivots on his skates to create separation from checkers and find lanes to transition the puck when it’s on his stick . Luke does a very good job of dictating the flow of play from the offensive blue line, able to walk the line with ease and facilitate offensive zone possession with strong passing ability . Luke will need to get more consistent in his defensive zone reads, but owns sky high potential . NHL Comparable: Shea Theodore 2021 NHL Draft Guide 4 www.firststarscouting.com DRAFT RANKINGS 2-3 03 Matthew Beniers Position Team League HT WT Hand C University of Michigan NCAA 6’1” 174 L CSS Ranking: #6 (NA) Tier: Elite/High-End Year Team (League) GP G A P PM 2018-19 USNTDP U-17 (USDP) 42 10 13 23 16 2019-20 USNTDP U-18 (USDP) 44 18 23 41 24 2020-21 University of Michigan (NCAA) 24 10 14 24 0 Skating: B+ Puck Skills: B Physicality: B- Hockey Sense: A Shot Grade: C+ Passing Ability: B+ A mature and well-refined two-way center who plays the game with incredible sense and vision, Beniers has cemented himself as the draft’s top available center after performing at both the international and collegiate level . Another Michigan Wolverine, Beniers played his way up the team’s depth chart after starting on the team’s fourth line, eventually finding himself as a fixture in the top six while also playing a role on Michigan’s special teams en route to a point-per-game freshman and NCAA All-Rookie honors . Skating as USA’s second line center at the World Junior Championships, Beniers added a Gold Medal to his trophy case and was a constant possession-driving force throughout the tournament . Beniers is an absolute treat to watch because of how intelligent he is in all areas of the game and is bound to be a coach’s delight at the NHL level because of that . Beniers is the definition of a 200-foot player, as he’s consistently committed to play in his defensive zone by supporting his defensemen and has the mobility and skill to transition the puck with ease . Beniers is a zone entry wizard, able to weave through neutral zone coverage with ease . Beniers also displays excellent puck distribution skills in the offensive zone, able to find teammates with fantastic vision and puck manipulation . NHL Comparable: Jonathan Toews 2021 NHL Draft Guide 5 www.firststarscouting.com FIRST STAR SCOUTING 2021 NHL DRAFT GUIDE 04 William Eklund Position Team League HT WT Hand LW/C Djurgårdens IF SHL 5’10” 172 L CSS Ranking: #1 (EU) Tier: Elite/High-End Year Team (League) GP G A P PM 2019-20 Djurgårdens IF J20 (SWE-J20) 31 12 24 36 22 Djurgårdens IF (SHL) 20 0 2 2 4 2020-21 Djurgårdens IF (SHL) 40 11 12 23 2 Skating: B- Puck Skills: B+ Physicality: C- Hockey Sense: A- Shot Grade: B- Passing Ability: B A well-rounded and dynamic Swedish forward who is among the top offensive players available in this year’s draft, Eklund stands out thanks to his blend of smarts and high-end skill . After leading all junior players in goals this past season, Eklund was named the SHL’s Rookie of the Year, joining past winners such as Elias Pettersson, Nicklas Backstrom, and Henrik Zetterberg after an 11 goal and 23 point campaign for Djurgårdens IF . A Bronze Medal winner for Sweden at the 2020 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Eklund appears poised to become a fixture at the international level for Sweden for years to come . What makes Eklund such a dangerous offensive weapon is the marriage he brings between skill and sense on a nightly basis . Eklund is a crafty puck handler who can beat defenders one-on-one and open up space in the offensive zone with creative dekes and quick turns on his edges . Eklund does a fantastic job of reading defensive zone coverage and identifying attacking lanes, showing a willingness to drive high-danger areas of the ice despite having a slight size deficit at just 5’10” . Eklund’s primary strength in the offensive zone is in his playmaking tool kit, showing great vision with the puck on his stick and good puck distribution skills, but is a true dual-threat attacker due to a quick shot release and ability to find his way into open areas of ice . NHL Comparable: Sebastian Aho 2021 NHL Draft Guide 6 www.firststarscouting.com DRAFT RANKINGS 4-5 05 Brandt Clarke Position Team League HT WT Hand D HC Nove Zamky SVK 6’2” 190 R CSS Ranking: #7 (NA) Tier: Elite/High-End Year Team (League) GP G A P PM 2018-19 Don Mills Flyers AAA (GTHL-U16) 73 35 78 113 40 2019-20 Barrie Colts (OHL) 57 6 32 38 38 2020-21 HC Nove Zamky (SVK) 26 5 10 15 41 Skating: B- Puck Skills: B Physicality: B- Hockey Sense: A- Shot Grade: B- Passing Ability: B+ An intelligent offensive-minded defenseman with a developing two-way tool kit, Clarke has long been considered one of the top prospects in the 2021 Draft due to his dominance throughout his junior and bantam career . The fourth overall pick in the 2019 OHL Draft, Clarke has received accolades and been apart of championship teams throughout his young hockey career, winning the GTHL Championship and OHL Cup with the Don Mills Flyers in 2019, being named to the OHL’s First All-Rookie Team in 2020, and a Gold Medal with Canada at the 2021 U18 World Championships where he was named to the tournament’s All-Star team . Clarke is the most naturally gifted offensive mind from the blue line available in this year’s draft, as it’s his smarts that allow him to break down coverage and find attacking lanes in the offensive zone .